Thomas Hobbes And John Locke - 1659 Words

The political world is one that impacts nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives. Whether it be through its enforcement of laws, protection of the public, or use of taxpayer-raised monies to carry out its myriad tasks. The government always makes a mark on its people. The actions of the government, while frequently ridiculed or vilified, are the results of the people themselves, operating within our system of government. So while many people may disapprove of the job Congress is doing or the direction the president is leading us in, the status quo remains the same. This is because our current state of affairs has been determined as a norm and agreed to by a majority. The following pages show how modern social contract theory especially†¦show more content†¦To simplify it, Hobbes perspective on the social contract theory places an emphasis on the importance of a government that takes rights from the people to provide services and run the government. It favors a large gover nment, and does not place any real importance on the rights of those entering into the social contract with those in power. Instead, the power once given to the authority is irrevocable, leaving a dangerous opportunity for tyranny to develop. Locke s is a nice contrast to Hobbes’ political philosophy. It offers a response to the absolute power given to rulers in Hobbesian theory. This classical freethinking, meaning that it seeks to curb power, rejects the idea of an absolute ruler, and places high importance on personal rights and freedoms. While Locke and Hobbes are similar in that they acknowledge a chaotic state of nature, the way in which each deals with that state of nature are vastly different. Locke recognizes that there will always be some people in a state of war, and that man alone cannot eradicate war from the earth. His theory obtains authority not from a single figure who wields absolute power, but from a majority. Rather than Hobbes’ social contract theo ry, wherein the people hand over all power to the authority, Locke’s theory insists that the authority not be absolute, but rather responsible to the people. That is whenever a person in authority crosses aShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke And Thomas Hobbes886 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscuss the differences in political theories expressed by both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. In, Leviathan, by Thomas Hobbes, and in, The Second Treatise of Government, by John Locke different theories of political legitimacy and definitions of the state of nature are described. The following paragraphs analyze multiple different points that are imperative to understanding these political theories. In the reading, Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes discusses what human existence is in the state of nature andRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke911 Words   |  4 Pagessocial contract theory, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke established many of the founding ideals that contemporary Liberalism is based on. While the shared many similar positions, there are some key distinctions to be made between the arguments Hobbes and Locke make in Leviathan and Second Treatise of Civil Government, respectively. In this paper I will argue the differences between how each of them viewed the right of the subjects to revolt from the sovereign. Thomas Hobbes published his most famousRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke Essay1441 Words   |  6 PagesEifling-Question 4 Hobbes and Locke During and after the English Revolution, a few philosophers expressed different views on their philosophical outlook and life experiences. Some of the most outstanding thinkers include Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. They had opposing views on governance matters, but the two, also, had striking similarities. In addition, the two represented an increasingly modernized European population that despised absolute kingship. Both Hobbes and Locke proposed a conceptionRead MoreJohn Locke And Thomas Hobbes1287 Words   |  6 Pagesknow how to balance and consider the nature of humankind and their rights. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes were both political philosophers who developed theories about how the government should work. They set up their theories around The Natural Law and the Social Contract Theory. Although John Locke and Thomas Hobbes had a similar goal, their beliefs and opinions were definitely not the same. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes both believed in the Natural Law and the Social Contract Theory. They both developedRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1346 Words   |  6 PagesContracts Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were two English political philosophers, who have had a lasting impact on modern political science. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both spent much of their lives attempting to identify the best form of government. Locke and Hobbes were among the most prominent of theorists when it came to social contract and human rights. A Social Contract is an agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, are the twoRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke928 Words   |  4 Pagesthere is no formed society, government, laws, safety, etc. both Thomas Hobbes and John Locke take this into perspective while introducing a political view. As illustrated by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels, they proposed political views on how human nature can prosper. Initially, Thomas Hobbes introduces a concept on the state of nature and its effects as well as how peace can be achieved. In Leviathan, Hobbes defines what living in a state of nature would be like and theRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1494 Words   |  6 Pages1) Thomas Hobbes and John Locke share the basic assumption that a theory based off of abstract individualism, consent, sovereignty and reason will produce a peaceful and productive society. This theory is the liberal political theory, which is the philosophy of individual rights and a limited government. Both Hobbes and Locke both center the majority of their ideas off of how people’s lives should be based off of nature rights instead of natural law. This being said, people are also subject to theRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke888 Words   |  4 Pagesare very similar but diverge in the moments that solidify their stance on their opinion. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke is both political scientist who have made strides in the area of social contracts and share being natural law theorist also. Locke and all other natural law theorists assumed that man was by nature a social animal and there fore struck contracts with each other to secure safety among them. Hobbes assumed diff erently, thus his verdicts are very different from other natural law theoristsRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1426 Words   |  6 PagesBy the second half of the 17th Century, England would experience one of the bloodiest conflicts in its history, ultimately serving to influence some of the most phenomenal political philosophers in Europe --Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. England was in constant unrest, choosing new forms of government almost on a whim in desperate attempts to restore order in the Country. The English Civil War in 1642 etched a legacy of dread in the people of England, and the war only appeared more disastrous andRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1361 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Hobbes and John Locke were two English thinkers in the seventeenth-century who s ideas became a key to the Enlightenment. Baron de Montesquieu and Voltaire were philosophers who applied the methods of science to understand and improve society. Thomas Hobbes believed in a powerful go vernment. He believed people were naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish, and if they were not strictly controlled they would commit crimes and abuse one another. He believed that life with no government would be